Systems and methods for processing online product orders

Abstract

In some embodiments, apparatuses and methods are provided herein useful to processing online product orders. In some embodiments, there is provided a system for processing online product orders includes a plurality of picking stations; a plurality of consolidating stations; a plurality of packing stations; and a control circuit configured to assign an online order to at least one picking station after checking that the online order will not cause at least one picking station to exceed a picking capacity limit; assign, in the event consolidation is needed, the online order to at least one consolidating station after checking that the online order will not cause at least one consolidating station to exceed a consolidating capacity limit; and assign the online order to at least one packing station after checking that the online order will not cause the at least one packing station to exceed a packing capacity limit.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for processing online product orders at a fulfillment facility, the system comprising:
 a plurality of picking stations each configured to provide a process of picking units from online orders, wherein each of the plurality of picking stations has a picking capacity limit associated therewith, the picking capacity limit defining a maximum number of units to be assigned to be picked by the picking station;   a plurality of consolidating stations each configured to provide a process of consolidating multiple picked units from the online orders for packing, wherein each of the plurality of consolidating stations has a consolidating capacity limit associated therewith, the consolidating capacity limit defining a maximum number of units to be assigned to be consolidated by the consolidating station;   a plurality of packing stations each configured to provide a process of packing picked units and packing consolidated picked units into packing containers in accordance with the online orders, wherein each of the plurality of packing stations has a packing capacity limit associated therewith, the packing capacity limit defining a maximum number of units to be assigned to be packed by the packing station; and   a control circuit coupled to the plurality of picking stations, the plurality of consolidating stations, and the plurality of packing stations, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
 for each received online order, 
 assign the received online order to at least one picking station after checking that the received online order will not cause the at least one picking station to exceed the picking capacity limit; 
 assign, in the event consolidation is needed, the received online order to at least one consolidating station after checking that the received online order will not cause the at least one consolidating station to exceed the consolidating capacity limit; and 
 assign the received online order to at least one packing station after checking that the received online order will not cause the at least one packing station to exceed the packing capacity limit. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of picking stations, the plurality of consolidating stations and the plurality of packing stations include:
 automated machine components to the provide the process in an automated manner;   automated machine components and a human worker to the provide the process in a mixed automated and manual manner; and   a human worker to the provide the process in a manual manner.   
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the control circuit is configured to assign the received online order to the at least one picking station, the at least one consolidating station, and the at least one packing station prioritizing stations by type in a priority order of stations having automated machine components, then stations having automated machine components and a human worker, then stations having a human worker. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprising:
 conveyors configured to convey units between one or more of the plurality of picking stations, one or more of the consolidating stations, and one or more of the packing stations.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a consolidating storage area comprising a shelf for staging multiple picked units for the online orders until all units associated with given online orders are picked and staged in the consolidating storage area. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising an automated source retrieval system comprising one or more robots configured to pick units from at least one of the plurality of picking stations and place the picked units on at least one of a conveyor, cart and a tote to hold the picked units in place while being transported to at least one of the plurality of consolidating stations and the plurality of packing stations. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the picking capacity limit, consolidating capacity limit and packing capacity limit are defined by a worker of the fulfillment center. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein one or more of the picking capacity limit, consolidating capacity limit and packing capacity limit are adjustable and defined at the fulfillment center. 
     
     
         9 . A system for processing online product orders at a fulfillment facility, the system comprising:
 a plurality of picking stations each configured to provide a process of picking units from online orders, wherein each of the plurality of picking stations has a picking capacity limit associated therewith, the picking capacity limit defining a maximum number of units to be assigned to be picked by the picking station;   a plurality of consolidating stations each configured to provide a process of consolidating multiple picked units from the online orders for packing, wherein each of the plurality of consolidating stations has a consolidating capacity limit associated therewith, the consolidating capacity limit defining a maximum number of units to be assigned to be consolidated by the consolidating station;   a plurality of packing stations each configured to provide a process of packing picked units and packing consolidated picked units into packing containers in accordance with the online orders, wherein each of the plurality of packing stations has a packing capacity limit associated therewith, the packing capacity limit defining a maximum number of units to be assigned to be packed by the packing station; and   a control circuit coupled to the plurality of picking stations, the plurality of consolidating stations, and the plurality of packing stations, wherein the control circuit is configured to:
 for each received online order, 
 determine a respective picking station to assign to the received online order by evaluating picking stations in priority order until a highest priority picking station that would not exceed its picking capacity limit if assigned is found; 
 determine, in the event consolidation is needed, a respective consolidating station to assign to the received online order by evaluating consolidating stations in priority order until a highest priority consolidating station that would not exceed its consolidating capacity limit if assigned is found; 
 determine a respective packing station to assign to the received online order by evaluating packing stations in priority order until a highest priority packing station that would not exceed its packing capacity limit if assigned is found; and 
 assign the received online order to the respective picking station, the respective consolidating station in the event consolidation is needed, and the respective packing station. 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein a priority order used when the control circuit determines the respective picking station, the respective consolidating station, and the respective packing station is by station type in the order of stations having automated machine components, then stations having automated machine components and a human worker, then stations having a human worker.